Olson



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

T. A. WEBER. MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE- BALE'BAHDS.

Patented May 9, 1882.

N. PETERS PhaloLithugnpher. Washington, D4 C.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, T. A. WEBER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE BALE BANDS.

\NOI

Patented May 9, 1882.

N4 FETERS. Fnnm-ulhu n hrf Washington. D. c. V

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

T.- A; WEBER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE BALE BANDS. o. 257,793; Patented May 9, 1882.

Wibzeses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE WEBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SUSAN G. NICH- OLSON, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE BALE-BANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,793, dated May 9, 1882.

Application filed October 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. WEBER, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Bale-Bands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a-machine for making wire bale-bands with fastenings or ties,

like that shown and described in Letters Patent No. 236,128, granted to me December 28, 1880.

The fastening device consists of a link having in it two holes, one near each end, and one end of the wire is inserted through one of said holes and bent over or doubled and twisted to form a loop, and when the band is to be used its other end is insertedthrough the loop and the other hole in said link, and is clamped securely when strain is applied to the band, as

by the expansion of a bale secured thereby.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine into which wire is fed from acontinnous roll or coil, and in which the several op 2 erationsoffeeding thewire,insertingitthrough the links, cutting it off to the proper length to form bands,doubling or bending and twisting it to form loops upon which the links are secured, and finallydelivering the bands in bun- 0 (lles of any desired number, ready for tying together, may be performed with rapidity and accuracy.

To this end the invention consists in novel details in the construction of various parts of 3 5 the machine, and in combination of said parts,

' to be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan of my improved machine. Fig. 1* represents a plan of aportion of the ma- 4o chine on a larger scale. Fig. 2 represen'tsa side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section through the feeding mechll anism of the machine. Fig. 4 represents an edge or face view of a pair of feed rollers or 5 wheels which I employ. Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section of portions of the machine upon the dotted line 90 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents a similar section of other portions thereof. on the dotted line 3 y, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 represents detail views of certain gripping devices or-fingers which hold the wire band during the operations upon it. Fig. 8 represents a transverse vertical section of certain portions of the machine on the dotted line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 9 represents a similar section of certain parts on the dotted line 1 1, Fig. 1. Fig. 10 represents a perspective view of one end of a finished bale-band and .its attached link. Fig. 11 represents a plan view of certain of the parts employed to bend and twist the wire to form a loop for the link, showing them in the position which they occupy when the bending of the wire is about to begin. Fig. 12 represents a similar view, showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the bending of the wire is partly performed 5 and Fig. 13 represents a similar view, showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the bending is completed and the twisting is about to begin.

Similar letters of reference designate corre-' sponding parts in all the figures. I

Referring, first, to Fig. 10, A designates a link, which is made of sheet-steel or other metal, and is provided with two holes, a c, one near each end.

A designates the wire ba1e-band, one end of which is inserted through the hole a, and then doubled or bent over upon itself and twisted at a to form a loop, a leaving the 1 end portion, a, of the wire parallel with the main portion thereof.

The work which my machine is designed to perform is to cut off the wire into proper lengths to form bale-bands, to insertit through the link and double or bend and twist it to form the loop a and finally to deliver the completed bale-bands in bundles or quantities of any desired weight and number, ready to be tied up for sale.

I will now describe the machine.

B designates a main shaft, which extends the whole length of themachine and is adapted to rotate in suitable hearings in a frame-work, B, of any suitable character.

B designates a drivingshaft arranged in bearings parallel with the'main shaft B, and carrying a spur-pinion, B, which engages with a spur-wheel, B, on the main shaft.

On the driving-shaft B are fast and loose 10::

pulleys B B which may receive a belt for rotating the shaft B and through it the main shaft B.

(l designates a countershaft arranged at right angles to the main shaft B, and receivin g motion therefrom through miter-wheels U. The shaft 0 operates the feeding mechanism, which I will now describe.

0 O designate two feed rollers or wheels, arranged one above another, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, and having grooved faces I), as seen in Fig. 4.

The wire D, which is drawn from a coil or roll, (not here shown,) is carried in the coincident grooves of the feed rollers or wheels C 0 and upon one or both sides of the grooves b the wheels (J O are provided with "intermeshing gear-teeth, which compel them to rotate synchronously.

Upon the shaft 1) of the lower feed-wheel, C is a pinion, b and on the end of the counfer-shaft O is a wheel, b

In order to transmit motion from the wheels b to the pinion b I employ an intermediate wheel or pinion, b the shaft or journal of which is mounted in an adjustable bearing, b and the pinions 11 12 may be changed for others of different sizes, and the intermediate wheel, I), adjusted accordingly. By this arrangement of gearing the lower feed-wheel, C is rotated positively and continuously, and as it is geared with the upper feed-wheel, it transmits its motion thereto.

By changing the pinions b L for others of different size the feed-wheels may be rotated at any desired speed and an amount of wire fed along equal to the length of band required.

The shaft of the upper feed-wheel, O is mounted in vertically-adjustable bearings or boxes D which are pressed down to hold the wire tightly between the feed-wheels by rubber blocks If or springs, the tension of which may be varied by means of set-screws 1). (Shown in Fig. 2.) The shaft 1) of the lower teed-wheel, G is mounted in fixed bearings.

When a sufficient length of wire to make a bale-band has been fed along the feeding is stopped by slightly raising the upper feedroller, 0 which is accomplished in the following manner-see particularly Fig. 3: E designates a lever, which is pivoted at b, and carries two upwardly-projecting rods or standards, b which are forked at their upper ends and embrace the shaftof the upperfecd-wheel, 0 on opposite sides thereof.

To the free end of the lever E is pivoteda yoke, 0, which receives the shaft 0 through it, and has at its upper end a lug projecting over and in the path of a cam, c, on the shaft 0.

Once during each rotation of the shaft (J the cam 0 acts upon the yoke c, and raises the lever E, and with it the upper feed-wheel, 0 thus stopping the feed while the wire is being cut off, as hereinafter described.

It is desirable to straighten the wire before it enters between the feed-wheels O G, and

for this purpose 'I employ straightening-rollers c c c 0. (Shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.)

The shafts of the rollers o c are mounted in fixed bearings, but the shafts of the rollers c are mounted in hearings in swinging links which are fitted loosely on the shafts of the rollers c 0 and may be adjusted to raise or lower the rollers 0 -0 and clamped in any position to which they are adjusted by clampingscrews 0 The object of raising or lowering the rollers c c is to deflect the wire D more or less in its passage between them, and thus to more effectively straighten it.

Upon the shaft B are securely fixed four disks or flanges, F G H H, so that they rotate therewith.

The wire D, as it is fed forward by the feedwheels 0 0 passes through a stationary tu bular die, d, and at the same time that the feed of the wire is stopped by the raising of the upper feed-wheel, G the wire is cut off by a knife, 01, which is carried by the disk F, (see Fig. 1,) and passes close to the end of the Inbular die d. Thus it will be seen that the die 01 forms ashear-blade in effect.

I will now describe how the links A are fed to the machine and placed one upon each length of wire before it is cut off. I

A large number of links A are placed side by side in abox, trough, or channel, F, and are fed forward toward the open mouth of said channel by a pusher, 01 to which a weight, (1 is attached by a cord or chain, d, for drawing it forward. As fast as one link is fed outfrom the box all the links are pushed forward by the pusher d to bring another in its place. Instead of the pusher d, weight of, and cord d, a spring mightbe used to crowd or push forward the links.

The box or trough F is detachably secured in the machine by a clamping-screw, 01 as seen in Fig. 1, and two boxes or troughs may be used, one being tilled with links, while the other is in the machine, thus obviating any loss of time.

At the open left-hand end of the box or trough F is ablade orpusher,e, equal in thickness to one of the links A, and this blade or pusher is moved transversely across the box or trough to eject thelinks therefrom, one at each revolution of the main shaft B.

The blade or pushcre is connected with a curved arm, 6, (see Figs. 1, 1*,2,5, and 8,) which is fixed upon a small rock-shaft, 0

To the rock-shaft e is fixed a lever or arm, 0 which projects across the machine under the shaft B, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, and which carries .a roller, 6, that projects under the flange or disk H.

The lever e is pulledupward by a spring, 0 so as to hold the roller 0 tightly against the periphery of the disk H, and as the latter is provided with a depression, 0 in its periphery, as seen in Fig. 5, it constitutes a cam for actuatingthe lever 6 the rock-shaft 6 and, through it and the arm 6, the blade or p'usher e.

During almost the whole rotation of the shaft B and disk or eain H the pusher e is held in its inward position after it has pushed a link, A, from the box or trough F; but when the depression in said disk or cam comes op into line with it. v

As' the depr'ession leaves the roller 0 the disk or cam H movesthe lever e downward and the pusher e inward, and thus ejects the link,whieh has just been moved into line with it, from the. box or trough F. This is done just before the wire is again fed forward after being cut off, and the 'wire is fed through the hole a in the link which has just been ejected from the box or trough. i

In order to properly direct the wire as it is fed forward .into and through the hole in' the link A, I employ a funnel or conical shaped guide, which is shown in Figs. 1,1*,and 8, and

is composed of two parts or halves, ff, itbeing divided through its axial opening.

The portion f of the funnel or conical shaped guide is fixed; but the portion j" is carried by or forms one arm of a bell-crank or elbow-lever,f which is connected by a link,f with an arm,f%, projecting from the rockshal't 0 as seen in Fig. 8. Consequently it will be seen that when the rock-shaft e is oscillated to draw back the pusher e by the depression a in the disk or cam H coming opposite the roller e the arm f will be moved up and the guideff. opened to permit of the removal of the wire transversely from it.

'I will now describe how the cut-off wire of a proper length to form the band and having the link A upon it is removed transversely from the guideff, and 211s: the mechanism for doubling or bending the wire and twisting it at a to form the loop a as seen in Fig. 10, said mechanismbeing shown in Figs. 1,1", 2, 5, 6, and 7.

To the inner sidesof thetwodisksoriflanges H H are rigidly secured two fingers or forks, g, and between the disks or flangesextends a shaft or rod, 9, having rigidly attached to it a number of fingers, grippers, or forks, which all move'in unison with the oscillation of the shaft O1-IO(l lg.

The normal position of the oscillating 'fingers or forks g relatively to the fixed fingers or forks g is such that their angles or V-shaped' recessesare almost in line longitudinally of the machine, but as they in this rotation approach the wire which has been fed forward l and cut off the oscillating fingers or forks g are drawn do'wn away from the fixed fingers or forks g and into theposition shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This is effected by a fixed cam orincline, 9 (see Fig. 6,) with which a toe or arm,

a g, on the shaft or rodg comes in contact; but

as soon as the saidtoo or arm g passes the cam or incline g 'the shaft or rod g, is turned slightly by aspring, 9. (see Fig.5,) and all the oscillating fingers or forks are drawn up to grasp the wire betweentheni andthetwofixed lingers or forks g.

The wire is fed forward into a position parallel with the main shaft B and with the shaft or rod g, and upon and over a V-shaped bed or table, 9 on which itrests, and which is notched ordivided at 9 to permit the passage of the oscillating fingers g through it.

As before stated, the oscillating fingers are drawn down, as they approach the wire, into the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 by the action of theca'm or incline on the toe or arm 9 mounted on the shaft orrod g, and while they are in this downward position they are by the rotation of the main shaft B carried under the wire and lift it, and after the toe or arm passes the incline the action of the spring 9 draws up the oscillating fingers g and they carry the wire into the fixed fingers or forks g and then hold it securely. The conical guideff has just before this been opened to permit the removal of the wire transversely from it.

The form of the fixed fingers or forks g, the

oscillatingfingers or forks g and the V-shaped table or bed g -is clearly shown in Fig. 7.

The disks H H, with the fingers-or forksg' g constitute a rotary carriage for the wire.

By the action of the oscillating fingers g lifting. the wire theilatter is carriedzover and rests upon thelaterally-projecting point orlng of a twisting device or twister, IL, carried by the disk or flange F, and by the continued rotation'of the main shaftB the wire and the deviceslcarried by the .disks F and G are carried round or rotated with said shaft.

I will now describe the operation of bending and twisting the wire and the devices for performing these operations and for holding the wire meanwhile, these operations being best illustrated by Figs. 8, 9,11, 12 and 13..

Upon the disk or flangeG is rigidly fixeda projecting arm, z,*on which is a shoulder, i, beyond which the curved point of said arm projects, as seen clearly in Fig. 8, and as the wire is carried uphy theoscillating fingers or forks g said wire is carried onto the point oil-the arm 6 and pressed tightly against the shoulder t" thereon. i

j Tot'he side of the arm i is pivoted a dog or.

clamp iitshown in' Figs. 1, 1*, 8, 11, 12, and 13,) which is kept away from the shoulder '11 bya spring, 5, andjnstas the wire is carried against the shoulder t" the said dog is acted upon by a stationarycam, i so as to clamp the wire tightly against the shoulder i.

Upon theside of the disk or flange G is a short shaft, j, which is adapted to turn in suitable bearings, j, on the side of said flange, and upon which is a pinion, 7' Upon the same side of the'disk or flange Gr (see Fig. 8) is a rack-bar,j which engages with the pinion j", and is supported on the disk or flange so as to be capable of reciprocatingthereon to turn the pinion j and shaft The rack-bar 9' carries a roller, j, which en gages a grooved stationary cam, G attached rigidly to the frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, and as the disk or flange rotates, carrying with it the rack-bar f, the said bar is moved longitudinallyor reciprocated by the action of the said cam, and the shaft j thereby rotated.

The groove in the stationary cam G is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, although said cam is in front of the plane on which said figure is taken, in order that the movements of the rackbar 3' may be more clearly understood.

Upon the outer end of the shaft j is fixed a dog or block, 3' which has a grooved projection,j, upon its under side, as seen in Fig.2,so as to fit upon the wire, and, as before stated, the wire rests upon and projects beyond the point of the twister or twisting device h, carried by the disk or flange F.

As the shaftj is rotated by the action of the rack-barj the dog or blockj is swunground in a circular path and brought down upon the \virebeyond the supporting-point ofthe twister h, as shown in Fig.11,and as said dog or block continues its circular motion it bends the portion of the wire which projects beyond the point of the twister down over the same to the position shown in Fig. 12 and backward upon itself, and presses the end of the wire against the main portion thereof, which rests against the sholder t" on the arm i, as shown in Fig. 13, and there holds said end whilethe machine continues its operation.

From the above description it will be seen that a loop has been formed in the end of the wire, and it will be understood that the point of the twister h is within and projects through the loop.

In Fig. 13 I have represented the wire as fully bent back and the twister h as just about to commence its operation. In this position the point of the twister enters the loop in the wire, and the link A, which is on the wire, is received in the slot or notch t of the'twister, as clearly shown. At this time the dog or clamp i leaves the stationary cam 6 and the said dog or clamp is drawn back by the spring i leaving the wire held firmly against the shoulder t" by the dogor blockj The twister It is adapted to rotate about its own axis in its bearing in the disk or flange F, and it is so rotated or turned by means of a rack-bar, is, mounted upon the side of the disk F, so that it is capable of reciprocation, and carried by said disk in its rotation.

The rack-bar it when -reciprocated imparts motion to a pinion, l, and a wheel, I, mounted on the same shaft as the pinion and engaging with a small pinion, 1 on the shank or spindle of the twister h.

The rack-bar 76 has upon it a roller, which engages with a groove in a stationary cam, F fixed to the frame of the machine, and the shape of said groove is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 9. By this arrangement of mechanism the twister h is rotated three turns, or

more or less, as may be desired, and as the doubled back end of the wire is against the main portion, and both are held against the shoulder t" on the fixed arm 1', and hencecannot turn, the rotation of the twister twists the end portion and the main portion together and completes the loop. As soon as the twisting of the wire-is completed the dog or blockj is moved backward or returned by the stationary cam G, and the wire is thereby released from the shoulder i.

The several operations of bending the wire and twisting it .to complete the loop are all performed during the time required to make a half-rotation of the shaft B, and after the completion of such operations all that remains is to move the oscillating fingers or forksg to release the wire from between them and the fixed fingers or forks g.

Attached to the frame of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, is a roller, m, which constitutes a stationary cam,and as the shaft B, with its attachments, continues its circular movement the toe or arm 9* onthe. shaft or rod g strikes the said roller and cam, and thereby draws back the oscillating fingers g sufficiently to release the wire and allow it to drop out of the fixed fingers g.

The bands, as they are completed, drop onto a rack or frame, I, which is pivotedv at the two ends at a, (see Fig. 5,) and whichqhas a lever or levers, l, projecting on the other'side of its foot and carrying weights 0. I

The bands accumulate in the rack or frame I until their weight overhalances the weights, when the rack or frame will tip or tilt and deposit the bundle of bands upon the floor or a truck or other suitable receptacle, where they may be tied ready for shipment.

By adjusting the weights 0 upon the levers I the rack or frame I. may be made to tilt when any desired number of bands are deposited thereon, and thus serves to indicate the number of wires in each bundle.

By my invention I provide a machine by which bale-bands of the kind herein described may be made with great rapidity, and therefore cheaply, and which requires little attention while it is in operation.

What I claim as my invention, secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for making the wire balebands herein described, the combination of feeding mechanism, shears for cutting off the wire, mechanism for feeding the links, and mechanism for doubling or bending the wire and twisting it to form a loop, all constructed and operating substantially as herein described.

2. In a machine for making the wire balebands herein described, the combination of feeding mechanism, shears for cutting off the wires, mechanism for feeding the links, a rotary carriage for the wire after being out oh, and mechanism rotating with said carriage for doubling or bending the wire and twisting it and desire to to form a loop, all constructed and operating substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with the grooved and geared feeding-wheels G G ,of the lever E, provided with uprights b the yoke c, and cam c,substantially as herein described.

4. In a machine for making wire bale-bands, the combination of feeding mechanism, shears for cutting off the wire, a box or trough for the reception of links, mechanism for ejecting the links transversely from said box or trough, a divided guide for the wire, and mechanism for opening said guide to permit the removal of the wire transversely therefrom, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination of the box or trough F,

the pusher or blade 0, the arm 6, rock-shaft e and lever 6 for working said pusher or blade, and. the disk or flange H, provided with the depression 0 and spring a all substantially as herein described. a

6. The combination of the divided conical guide ff, the lever f the link f arm f, rock-shaft e and the lever 0 and the disk or flange H, provided with the depression 6 and spring 6 all substantiallyas herein described.

7. In armaohine for making wire bale-bands, the combination of a rotary carriage for the wire, comprising fixed fingers and a series of oscillating fingers, a table or bedfor the cut wire, through which said oscillating fingers may pass, and mechanism for moving said oscillatin g fingers in one direction to pass under and lift the wire from said table or bed, and mechanism for moving said fingersintheother direction to carry the wire into said fixed fingers, substantially as herein described.

8. The combination of the V-shaped table or bed 9 the shaft B, and its disks or flanges H H, the fixed fingers or forks g, the shaft orrod g, the oscillating fingers or forks the spring and the cam g and arm 9 all substantially as herein described.

9. In a machine for making wire bale-bands,

'the combination of the shaft B, the rotary wire-carriage, the disk G, the shouldered finger 'i, the dog t the rotary dogj, the reciprocating rack-bar 3' and stationary cam G, and the disk F, carrying the twister h, and the stationary cam F for operating the twister, all substantially as herein described.

11. In a machine for making wire balebands, the combination of the main shaft B, the rotary wire-carriage, the flange F, the rotary twister it, carried by said flange, and the reeiprocatin g rack'bar 7c and stationarycam F for rotating said twister, all substantially as herein described.

12. In a machine for making wire bale-bands, the combination of the main shaft B, the flanges or disks F and G, and the rotary wirecarria-ge fixed upon said shaft, the doubling or bending and the twisting mechanism carried by said flanges or disks, the feed-Wheels O C,

and the transverse counter-shaft 0, and gearing by which said shaft 0 is driven from the shaft B, and through which it drives said feedwheels, substantially as herein described.

THEODORE A. WEBER.

Witnesses FREDK. HAYNES,

ED. MORAN. 

